Najah Lewis exceeds her own expectations

Although it made the situation harder for her when face-to-face teaching halted due to COVID-19, Najah Lewis exceeded her own expectations and placed fifth in the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA) 2020.

The 11-year-old Dorsetshire Hill resident not only placed fifth overall, but took second place amongst the girls. Her perfect score in Science also led the St Mary’s Roman Catholic School (SMRC) student to top this subject area.

“Excited and slightly surprised,” Lewis said, speaking to SEARCHLIGHT about her feelings on these results on Monday, July 20.

“I didn’t expect to do so well, especially because you had to stay home,” she said.

“It was harder than before when we got direct teaching.”

Specifically, her expectations were “to come in the top 20 but not in the top five.”

However, the student explained, “My parents helped me the most to study especially when I was staying home.”

Additionally, she chose to restrict the time that she spent on her devices.

Her efforts paid off, and she was able to score an overall average of 97 per cent.

The budding scientist said that she has set her sights on becoming a mechanical engineer. “I know that involves being good at math, and I’m not the best at it yet but I want to work at my math so I can become an engineer,” she stated.

A get together with her friends was the student’s celebration.

She thanked her parents, and teachers.

Lewis said that her grandfather, Lennox Lewis, her sole living grandparent, “encouraged [her] to pray, and study all my school work.”

Najah’s mother, Ronette Lewis said that the family is extremely proud. “She has always been a very conscientious student. She’s always been hardworking,” and has been able to achieve her success through prayer and hard work, the mother revealed.

Najah’s teachers, and her grandfather played a big role in her success, Ronette stated.

Najah’s father, Vaughn Lewis explained that Najah’s grandfather is a past education officer, and her late grandmother was a teacher. Lennox, who is very excited for, and proud of, his granddaughter, believes in the value of a good education. He always had encouraging words for his grandchildren and also taught them to be faithful to God.

Najah’s father himself feels happy and relieved. He said that he knows his daughter is a good student, but “sometimes children are overwhelmed by the pressure.”

“I was just relieved that she handled it very well, she came out of the exam smiling and saying that I think I did well, and I was relieved by that and then further relieved by the results, because not all children work to their potential on the high pressure day,” the father stated.